The spread of the Beaver Creek Fire in northern Colorado slows

Beaver Creek Fire intensity

Above: Varying burn intensities on the Beaver Creek Fire.

The spread of the Beaver Creek Fire in northern Colorado one mile south of the Wyoming border has slowed over the last week. It has been listed at 13,275 acres since June 30 and according to the incident commander is 5 percent conplete after burning for 18 days. The strategy is not to put it out, but to manage it for “multiple objectives”.

The fire is 17 miles northwest of Walden, Colorado and 52 miles southwest of Laramie, Wyoming.

Within the last 48 hours the fire received about 0.2 inches of rain but the fuels should dry out today, aided by a 9 mph southwest wind gusting up to 23 mph.

Beaver Creek Fire beetles intensity
Photo of a portion of the Beaver Creek Fire in an area with heavy beetle kill. One smoke is visible. USFS photo by Andrea Holland.

People who are extremely worried about forests attacked by beetles and assume fire intensity will be greatly enhanced in those areas, should examine the photo above that was taken within the fire area.

Jay Esperance’s Type 2 incident management team will transition to the West Slope Type 3 Team B on Thursday.

The photos were provided by the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland. Except as noted the photographer and dates taken were not given.

More information about the Beaver Creek Fire.

Beaver Creek Fire map
Map of the Beaver Creek Fire July 3, 2016. USFS.
Beaver Creek Fire moose
A moose and her calf investigate evidence of firefighter activity on the Beaver Creek Fire.
Beaver Creek Fire sprinklers
Sprinklers are set up on an ATV bridge near the Beaver Creek Fire.
Beaver Creek Fire Chinook
A Chinook helicopter uses its snorkle to refill its internal water tank while working on the Beaver Creek Fire.
Beaver Creek Fire
AN area of high burn intensity on the Beaver Creek Fire.

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Author: Bill Gabbert

After working full time in wildland fire for 33 years, he continues to learn, and strives to be a Student of Fire.